Starmer’s Labour cares more about greed and power, says Duffield

In an interview with the BBC, Rosie Duffield expressed that voters are being "totally overlooked."

Host of "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg"

In her first interview with the BBC after stepping down from the Labour Party, Rosie Duffield expressed that Sir Keir Starmer's team prioritizes "greed and power over making a positive impact."

In her resignation letter, which was shared by the Sunday Times, the Canterbury MP criticizes the prime minister for accepting gifts valued at tens of thousands of pounds, all while eliminating the winter fuel payment and maintaining the two-child benefit limit.

In an interview set to air on tomorrow's episode of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Duffield expressed that Labour supporters and members of Parliament are being "taken advantage of" and "overlooked."

Duffield, who will now serve as an independent Member of Parliament, expressed that departing from the party was "definitely not my preference."

In an interview with the BBC, Duffield expressed that stepping away from the party was "not at all what she had hoped for." She will now serve as an independent Member of Parliament.

She expressed that work was deeply ingrained in her being, influencing her both emotionally and spiritually.

"As a Labour supporter and activist, I find it incredibly disheartening to witness what we have turned into," she remarked.

After days of uncovering details about donations and the leaders' unwillingness to say sorry, she expressed that the leadership appeared to prioritize "greed and power over making a real impact... I’ve just reached my limit."

Duffield, who has had past disagreements with the party leadership regarding women's rights issues, stepped down on Saturday.

She expressed, "We all believed in Keir Starmer and a Labour government, but it seems like voters, activists, and MPs are being disregarded and not taken seriously at all."

In her letter, she expressed that the "discoveries" following the government transition in July had been "incredible and more and more shocking."

"I can't express enough how furious my colleagues and I are about your complete disregard for how you've portrayed us all."

Duffield, who was first elected in 2017, has decided to leave the party after seven other Labour MPs were suspended for defying the party line during the King's Speech. These MPs voted in favor of a motion to eliminate the cap on benefits for families with two children.

There are currently 14 independent members of parliament.

In her letter, Duffield expressed her intention to serve as an independent Member of Parliament, stating that she would be guided by her fundamental Labour principles.

In July, the government announced that winter fuel payments for pensioners would only be given to those with low incomes who qualify for specific benefits. This decision sparked strong reactions from MPs and advocacy groups.

The decision to implement means-testing for the payments has faced backlash from both within and outside the organization. Recently, the Unite union succeeded in passing a non-binding resolution during the party conference. However, government officials contend that they had to make "tough choices" due to "unrevealed" overspending by the previous Conservative administration.

The Prime Minister faced significant criticism when it was revealed that he had been given over £16,000 for clothing and glasses, along with additional contributions for his wife, from Labour aristocrat Waheed Alli.

Sir Keir has also justified receiving £20,000 in lodging from Lord Alli during the election campaign, explaining that it allowed his son to study for his GCSEs without the distraction of media presence outside their home.

In her resignation letter, Duffield expressed: "The corruption, favoritism, and obvious greed are beyond belief. I feel deep shame for how you and your close associates have sullied and embarrassed our once esteemed party."

She stated, "It’s unacceptable for a person with significantly more wealth than average to maintain the Conservatives’ two-child limit on benefits, which only serves to keep children in poverty. At the same time, this person accepts lavish personal gifts like designer suits and expensive glasses that are beyond what most of these families can even begin to afford. Such behavior makes them unfit to be referred to as Labour’s prime minister."

Duffield and Sir Keir have a history of a difficult relationship.

However, her decision to confront him so early in his term, particularly with such harsh criticism, comes as a shock and is definitely a setback for the prime minister.

Her letter doesn't include any of the usual pleasantries that often come with farewells. Instead, it openly and sharply criticizes him, his leadership, his policies, and his conduct.

The people close to Sir Keir were definitely wishing that the backlash regarding the donations was easing up, allowing his team at Downing Street to shift their attention towards making progress and achieving results.

Duffield's letter has brought the topic back into focus, highlighting the concerns among Labour MPs regarding the means-testing of the winter fuel allowance.

It has provided fuel for those who oppose Sir Keir. The Conservatives will likely reference these points frequently at their Party Conference this week.

Ms. Duffield might turn out to be an outlier, opting to step down shortly after Labour's overwhelming victory.

However, the way she left will have lasting effects that will resonate for a while.

In her letter, Duffield took aim at the prime minister for backing individuals who lack established political abilities. She pointed out that one person had been quickly placed in a shadow cabinet role without going through the traditional process of developing their political expertise while sitting on the backbenches.

In 2015, Sir Keir received a position in the shadow home office cabinet only two months after becoming an MP. Later, in 2024, he appointed a number of newly-elected MPs to junior ministerial roles.

Among those mentioned, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer is the son of Lord Falconer, who was Sir Keir's first shadow attorney general. Meanwhile, Liam Conlon, whose mother is Sue Gray, the chief of staff at Number 10, has been appointed as a parliamentary aide in the Department for Transport.

Duffield's connections with prominent party members have become particularly tense due to her opinions on transgender matters, which she has expressed on social media.

She feels that there should be designated areas where people assigned male at birth are prohibited from entering, such as shelters for victims of domestic abuse and correctional facilities. She opposes the idea of individuals being allowed to self-identify as transgender in order to access these spaces.

Disagreements with Sir Keir came to light once more during this year's general election campaign when he was asked about his previous critiques of her position on transgender matters.

She had earlier come under scrutiny from the party for expressing her support for a tweet posted by comedy writer Graham Linehan.

In January 2024, she stated that the party's National Executive Committee had fully cleared her of accusations related to antisemitism and transphobia.

In reaction to Duffield stepping down, Nadia Whittom, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, expressed her frustration, stating, "It’s truly disheartening that she was given the choice to resign when she should have faced consequences much earlier."

However, Dr. Simon Opher, the Labour MP representing Stroud, expressed that he was "truly saddened" by the party's loss of her.

"Even though I don't agree with all of her political views, I'm confident that collaborating will benefit us both."

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat stated that Duffield clearly expressed her view that the Labour Party and Keir Starmer's government prioritize their own interests rather than serving the British public.

When the BBC inquired whether Duffield would be accepted into the Conservative Party, Tugendhat responded, "That's ultimately her choice... but I have a strong feeling she won't be seeking that out."

James Cleverly, another candidate in the Tory leadership race and a fellow participant at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, shared with the BBC, "She has expressed everything that needs to be said."

Robert Jenrick, who is competing for the leadership of the Tory party, chose not to provide any remarks.